Jodie Whittaker to quit as Doctor

[Steve H]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/doctor-who-star-jodie-whittaker-23255685?fbclid=IwAR0ZmuR8pAM6G3L46_TMNBuJX_DMLz4ocn7uCdLNyjNQu0ov_7gLqsO1MIY

"I used to be a doctor with the World Health Organisation. When I applied for the job, I thought it was for Doctor Who!" - Milton Jones.

[Nearly Sane]

Not that much of a surprise given the length of time she will have been in the role with the 'gap' year. I see there are the usual suspects for the role.

[Robbie]

I think it will be a man this time round. Idris Elba perhaps? Daniel Craig? I haven't watched Who since David Tennant, no reason just how it worked out on a Saturday evening. Feel sorry to have missed Capaldi, Smith & Whittaker & doubt I'll catch up now.

There was an old Dr. Who on the Christmas Midwife, he was a circus ringmaster living in a caravan rather than the TARDIS.

[Nearly Sane]

I think it will be a man this time round. Idris Elba perhaps? Daniel Craig? I haven't watched Who since David Tennant, no reason just how it worked out on a Saturday evening. Feel sorry to have missed Capaldi, Smith & Whittaker & doubt I'll catch up now.

There was an old Dr. Who on the Christmas Midwife, he was a circus ringmaster living in a caravan rather than the TARDIS.

Doubt the entire budget would cover Craig or Elba for a programme now.

All of the series you have missed are on iPlayer.


And yes, it was lovely to see Peter Davison on Call The Midwife. He's pretty much continually worked. He also wrote and starred in a rather lovely pastiche on Dr Who at the time of the 50th anniversary.

[Steve H]

Doubt the entire budget would cover Craig or Elba for a programme now.

True, but I'm getting a little tired of the continual run of geeky, eccentric Doctors, and would welcome a smooth, sophisticated James Bond (or Jane Bond) type - something like the third Doctor (Jon Pertwee), perhaps. Also, I hope they tone down the right-on-ness. I know attitudes have changed since the 60s and 70s, and quite right, but it was rather clunky and obvious, with a female Doctor regularly preaching against violence, and a team consisting of an older man, a black, disabled younger man (Ryan had balance and co-ordination problems), and an Asian young woman.

[Aruntraveller]

I think it will be a man this time round. Idris Elba perhaps? Daniel Craig? I haven't watched Who since David Tennant, no reason just how it worked out on a Saturday evening. Feel sorry to have missed Capaldi, Smith & Whittaker & doubt I'll catch up now.

Do try and catch Matt Smith. I really liked him in the role, even if I didn't like some of the writing.

A lot of talk about Kris Marshall (Death in Paradise, My Family). I can see that working well.

[Nearly Sane]

True, but I'm getting a little tired of the continual run of geeky, eccentric Doctors, and would welcome a smooth, sophisticated James Bond (or Jane Bond) type - something like the third Doctor (Jon Pertwee), perhaps. Also, I hope they tone down the right-on-ness. I know attitudes have changed since the 60s and 70s, and quite right, but it was rather clunky and obvious, with a female Doctor regularly preaching against violence, and a team consisting of an older man, a black, disabled younger man (Ryan had balance and co-ordination problems), and an Asian young woman.

Surely apart from a few bits the Doctor is always preaching against violence. As to tick boxes for characters, it's a lot easier to avoid that when you don't have to fight for equal representation.

As to geeky and eccentric - surely the point is the Doctor is meant to feel alieb? The whole idea of the Doctor working with UNIT as he did in the Pertwee years just seems off to me.

[Robbie]

Do try and catch Matt Smith. I really liked him in the role, even if I didn't like some of the writing.

A lot of talk about Kris Marshall (Death in Paradise, My Family). I can see that working well.

I like Matt Smith. I too can see Kris Marshall in the role.

Loved David Tennant, he is such a versatile actor too. Colin Morgan, the Northern irish actor, would be good.

[Anchorman]

Pertwee was just as geeky and quirky as the rest of 'em (Just finished wastching 'Frontier in Space' - again - on DVD) Actually, all of the classic WHO Doctors from Pertwee onward recorded audio adventures for Big Finish; some of the Davison, Baker (both of 'em) and Paul McGhan stories are excellent, especially the latter with Sheridan Smith as assistant Lucie Miller. As for Jodie's leaving? Not unexpected. I wish Chibnall would be replaced as senior show runner.

[Nearly Sane]

Pertwee was just as geeky and quirky as the rest of 'em (Just finished wastching 'Frontier in Space' - again - on DVD) Actually, all of the classic WHO Doctors from Pertwee onward recorded audio adventures for Big Finish; some of the Davison, Baker (both of 'em) and Paul McGhan stories are excellent, especially the latter with Sheridan Smith as assistant Lucie Miller. As for Jodie's leaving? Not unexpected. I wish Chibnall would be replaced as senior show runner.

I am ambivalent about the replacement of Chibnall. I've liked the return of historicals. But overall it's been less than a sum of its parts

[Steve H]

I like Matt Smith. I too can see Kris Marshall in the role.

Loved David Tennant, he is such a versatile actor too. Colin Morgan, the Northern irish actor, would be good.

I fond Matt Smith tiresome. I liked Peter Capaldi best of the post-revival Doctors. I hope we see more of the pre-Hartnell black woman Doctor.

[Steve H]

As to geeky and eccentric - surely the point is the Doctor is meant to feel alien?

S/he is about 1,000 years old, so s/he ought to be used to us by now!

[Harrowby Hall]

I fond Matt Smith tiresome. I liked Peter Capaldi best of the post-revival Doctors. I hope we see more of the pre-Hartnell black woman Doctor.

No chance. She is running Holby City Hospital.

[Steve H]

No chance. She is running Holby City Hospital.

Well, saving the universe from Daleks and Cybermen should be a doddle by comparison, so maybe she'll give that up and go back to the Tardis!

[Nearly Sane]

I have to say that I find the whole retconning of the Doctor's history and identity makes me uncomfortable. I suppose to be fair, this is a fairly old trope. We've been seeing it since McCoy's Doctor but this seems a whole new level.

[Anchorman]

I have to say that I find the whole retconning of the Doctor's history and identity makes me uncomfortable. I suppose to be fair, this is a fairly old trope. We've been seeing it since McCoy's Doctor but this seems a whole new level.

 



Ah....McCoy's Merlin?
Now; there's a story which should have gone further - and would have, if the Beeb hadn't axed the show.
McCoy, incidentally, is very underrated as the Doctor, and some of the stories were pretty well scripted.

[Nearly Sane]

 



Ah....McCoy's Merlin?
Now; there's a story which should have gone further - and would have, if the Beeb hadn't axed the show.
McCoy, incidentally, is very underrated as the Doctor, and some of the stories were pretty well scripted.

Yes, agree. It started off a bit dodgy but he created a strong character and the last series was the best for some time at that point. Not that I saw it at the time  as I had stopped watching in part because of the change in scheduling, in part the drop off in quality.

[Anchorman]

Yes, agree. It started off a bit dodgy but he created a strong character and the last series was the best for some time at that point. Not that I saw it at the time  as I had stopped watching in part because of the change in scheduling, in part the drop off in quality.

   



The plan was to have a story arc in the following season similar to the Colin Baker 'trial of a Time Lord' which would explore the statement the Doctor made in 'Battlefield'.
Nicholas Courtney was supposed to join Sophie Aldred as the Doctor revealed something of his past.
B****y Grade..........

[Nearly Sane]

   



The plan was to have a story arc in the following season similar to the Colin Baker 'trial of a Time Lord' which would explore the statement the Doctor made in 'Battlefield'.
Nicholas Courtney was supposed to join Sophie Aldred as the Doctor revealed something of his past.
B****y Grade..........

i can see the point in both the Cartmel masterclass, and the recent retconning but I worry that it excludes casual viewers. When Eccleston returned as the last of the Timelords, it gave the character  back some gravitas without people really needing to know about the details.

[Anchorman]

.....and the announcement no-one is surprised to read.....
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-57940451?at_custom2=BBC+Entertainment+News&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&at_campaign=64&at_custom4=0C3F6252-F077-11EB-A399-309296E8478F&at_medium=custom7&fbclid=IwAR3psZEUadciRvcs_S9W81SEj-TD-CjwK6QHV0Y2yHK_ORKrt9rSg_SEfl8

[Outrider]

Glad to see Chibnall's going, his version of the Doctor, I feel, didn't give Whittaker much chance to shine. We went from Eccleston's post-war always on the verge of anger Dr, to the gradually calmer and brighter Tennant, then Matt Smith's slightly madcap but upbeat. With Capaldi the upbeat dropped a little, and there was the depiction of feigning ignorance whilst always knowing something at the end, but Jodie Whittaker's Doctor has constantly just come across as always playing catch-up on everything, and that's not what the Doctor's supposed to be.

Nothing exemplified that better than the episode with Jo Martin as the 'Fugitive' Doctor, who knew exactly what was happening and had a plan; it showed that the writers could do it, and could do it well, they just weren't.

Here's hoping a new show-runner will give the next actor something better to work with.

O.

[ProfessorDavey]

Glad to see Chibnall's going, his version of the Doctor, I feel, didn't give Whittaker much chance to shine. We went from Eccleston's post-war always on the verge of anger Dr, to the gradually calmer and brighter Tennant, then Matt Smith's slightly madcap but upbeat. With Capaldi the upbeat dropped a little, and there was the depiction of feigning ignorance whilst always knowing something at the end, but Jodie Whittaker's Doctor has constantly just come across as always playing catch-up on everything, and that's not what the Doctor's supposed to be.

Nothing exemplified that better than the episode with Jo Martin as the 'Fugitive' Doctor, who knew exactly what was happening and had a plan; it showed that the writers could do it, and could do it well, they just weren't.

Here's hoping a new show-runner will give the next actor something better to work with.

O.

I think Whitaker hasn't had it easy in the role. I think with budget cuts and covid the series have been short and with huge gaps which makes it difficult to build the character in the way that Tenant and Smith were able to.

I think there is also an issue with the assistants - one of the enduring features of Doctor Who is the relationship between the doctor and a single lead assistant, all the way back to Jo Grant and Sarah Jane Smith. Now there have sometimes been other assistants but there was always a key single person - think Rose, Amy, Clara in recent series. And, rightly or wrongly, there has always been an element of 'sexual tension' in those relationships and indeed jealousy which made those relationships more interesting. Now the issue for Whitaker is she has never had that 'lead' assistant - it is always the 'gang' and therefore the interest in the relationship is diminished. I wonder whether the fact that she is a woman had a effect here - with the writers not feeling able to create the equivalent of a Tenant Doctor/Rose Tyler relationship when the Doctor is female.

[Anchorman]

I think Whitaker hasn't had it easy in the role. I think with budget cuts and covid the series have been short and with huge gaps which makes it difficult to build the character in the way that Tenant and Smith were able to.

I think there is also an issue with the assistants - one of the enduring features of Doctor Who is the relationship between the doctor and a single lead assistant, all the way back to Jo Grant and Sarah Jane Smith. Now there have sometimes been other assistants but there was always a key single person - think Rose, Amy, Clara in recent series. And, rightly or wrongly, there has always been an element of 'sexual tension' in those relationships and indeed jealousy which made those relationships more interesting. Now the issue for Whitaker is she has never had that 'lead' assistant - it is always the 'gang' and therefore the interest in the relationship is diminished. I wonder whether the fact that she is a woman had a effect here - with the writers not feeling able to create the equivalent of a Tenant Doctor/Rose Tyler relationship when the Doctor is female.

   


     The Doctor could cope with three assistants, and not necessarily have a single 'main' companion.
Hartnell sometimes had four, Troughton never less than two. Only with Pertwee did we see the single companion - Liz Shaw - who was replaced far too soon, IMO.
Tom Baker and Peter Davison had two; sometimes three, with no lead companion.
I agree that scripts have been the issue.
Money was always a problem, right from the early days, but constructive effects thrown at a poor script was no substitute.

[ProfessorDavey]

The Doctor could cope with three assistants, and not necessarily have a single 'main' companion.
Hartnell sometimes had four, Troughton never less than two. Only with Pertwee did we see the single companion - Liz Shaw - who was replaced far too soon, IMO.
Tom Baker and Peter Davison had two; sometimes three, with no lead companion.
I agree that scripts have been the issue.
Money was always a problem, right from the early days, but constructive effects thrown at a poor script was no substitute.

My memory only goes back as far as Pertwee, so I cannot comment on Hartnell nor Troughton.

But my recollection since then is that for most of the time there has been an ever-present lead companion, even if there are others who come and go. And that creates a different dynamic. Whitaker has never had that - throughout her time as doctor she has had a gang of companions who all appear in every episode. Some Doctors have had blocks of episodes with several companions, but also times where there is a clear lead companion. Whitaker has only had the former.

[Aruntraveller]

It's maybe not fair on the writers or Whittaker but the franchise has been going on for awhile now since being reincarnated by RTD.

To ask viewers to accept a female Dr., as well as on over familiar concept, along with cost cutting and scripts that have been variable (I'm being charitable here) and a need to always up the ante at the end of each series was always going to be difficult and lead, I think, to diminishing returns.

In this age of streaming giants perhaps the way forward is a deal with Netflix or Disney or whoever, with BBC maintaining creative control which will give better budgets, more exposure and more episodes.

Part of the problem is that the time gap between series has been erratic and grown longer (even without Covid) and the audience forgets instead of being engaged.

In Dr Who's case absence does not make the heart grow fonder.